This invention relates generally to card and ticket readers, and more specifically to an electromechanical universal ticket transport assembly designed to handle reading and writing of magnetically encoded cards and tickets of various formats.
Magnetic stripe technology is used throughout the world for identification (ID) and credit/debit transaction processes. Other technologies which can store more information, such as contact and contactless smart cards, continue to capture more of the magnetic stripe market as systems are upgraded. However, magnetic stripe cards, or tickets, remain a dominant technology, particularly for systems which have been in operation for a substantial time, such as mass transit systems.
Most fare collection systems of mass transit systems throughout the world accept credit card size magnetic stripe tickets. The ticket material and thickness, the location of the magnetic stripe, as well as the magnetic stripe format, vary from system to system. The most common design, conforming to the ISO standard, ISO-7810, entitled xe2x80x9cIdentification Cardsxe2x80x94Physical Characteristicsxe2x80x9d, specifies the location of a single magnetic stripe. However, many mass transit authorities have customized tickets to avoid cross-use of tickets from one transit system to another. Customization of tickets may include variations on the number and the location of magnetic stripes. One or more magnetic stripes may be located on the front and back faces of the card. The magnetic stripe may be located in the center of the card, or offset to either side of center. Examples of tickets currently in use in transit systems throughout the world include a ticket configuration of a single magnetic stripe in a center position on the ticket back face, a single magnetic stripe offset on the ticket front face, and two magnetic stripes offset from the center on the ticket back.
In addition to location and number of magnetic stripes, tickets may vary in the type of magnetic media which ranges from low to high coercivity. Coercivity is a technical term used to designate the strength of a magnetic field required to affect data encoded on a magnetic stripe. Cards that are used in daily transactions typically have a high coercivity to provide the highest level of immunity to damage by stray magnetic fields. A further variation is in the track configuration of each magnetic stripe. For example, ANSI/ISO standards define three track locations for the magnetic stripe on credit/financial cards. The tracks are 0.110xe2x80x3 (0.279 cm) wide, with Track 1 closest to the card edge. Each track is utilized to store specific data types. Custom cards may specify the number of tracks and the data types stored on those tracks.
Customization of tickets presents disadvantages when modifications or updates of automatic fare collection (AFC) equipment is required since each custom ticket requires a custom-designed ticket processor. In addition, the mechanical structure of the ticket processor must be considered for each installation as the mechanism of the ticket processor may vary, not only between different transit authorities, but also may vary between different automatic fare collection equipment of the same transit authority. As a result, each custom ticket reader requires separate parts inventory for both the mechanical and electrical systems.
Therefore, a need remains for a universal ticket processor, reader/writer, which may be configured for all types of magnetically encoded tickets currently used in fare collection systems throughout the world.
It is an advantage of the present invention to provide a universal ticket transport that may be configured to read from and write to many types of magnetically encoded tickets currently used in fare collection systems throughout the world.
It is another advantage to provide a ticket transport that can process a range of ticket thicknesses.
Still another advantage is to provide a universal ticket transport having a mechanical insertion interface and automated movement for tickets presented at a range of different angles into and exiting from the mechanism.
It is yet another advantage to provide a control processor having analog to digital interfaces and control logic for operating the transport mechanisms locally and communicating data through a serial interface to a host system.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a shaft encoder and motor interface which reads from and writes to a variety of cards of differing bit densities.
In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention the Universal Ticket Transport (UTT), also referred to herein as xe2x80x9cthe transportxe2x80x9d, is configurable for all types of magnetically encoded tickets currently used in automatic fare collection (AFC) systems throughout the world. The UTT may be configured for tickets conforming to the ISO standard format for credit card-sized tickets, as well as for other tickets having variations of center and offset magnetic stripes on the top face or on the bottom face of the ticket. The UTT of the exemplary embodiment reads from and writes to low and high coercivity magnetic media. Transport belt assemblies of the UTT allow tickets of various thicknesses, e.g., ranging from 0.006xe2x80x3 to 0.011xe2x80x3, to be accepted by the UTT. A mechanical interface of the UTT provides automated movement for tickets presented at a range of different angles into and exiting from the UTT. The UTT further includes a control processor printed circuit board that provides analog to digital interfaces for local operation and control of the UTT, and a serial interface to a host system for control of the data communication between the ticket and the host system.
A ticket is moved through the Universal Ticket Transport mechanism held between two belts. The UTT of the exemplary embodiment includes two belt assemblies, each having a set of belts. The belts are made from an elastic material and installed onto belt rollers in a stretched condition, so that tensioners are not required. The belt rollers are located at the ends and in the middle of the transport. Two rollers at each end of the UTT function as drive rollers for moving the sets of belts in a forward or reverse direction. The drive rollers are positioned onto shafts mounted in ball bearings located in side plates of the UTT. The drive rollers at the entrance end of the transport path are connected to a UTT or a host motor which provides the power input for the movement of the belts. For each drive roller there is a gear and timing pulley assembly mounted on the drive roller shaft. The two gears mesh to drive both drive rollers at the same speed and help prevent slippage of the ticket between the two belts. The timing pulley couples the drive from the motor via a timing belt. The gears are arranged to always mesh irrespective of the roller configuration positions. If the transport is used in an application where the drive is provided by a host motor, then a belt from that host mechanism is coupled to one of the pulleys.
The rollers in the middle of the transport provide the pinch to maintain a hold on the ticket. The middle rollers also shape the ticket to pass over the magnetic head assembly in the most optimum manner. The belt path of the exemplary embodiment is offset to one side of the transport and may be assembled in this position irrespective of the location of the magnetic head assembly. However, the belt assemblies and the magnetic head assembly of the exemplary embodiment may be arranged along a width of the UTT to accommodate a variety of magnetic stripe locations. The magnetic head type and position also are configured to suit the magnetic stripe position and coercivity for the ticket type that will be processed. The location and quantity of the heads is also dependent upon the application for the UTT mechanism. For a vending machine, i.e., a ticket issue application, one combined write and read head is used. For a ticket processor in a gate application, two heads are used, including a combined write and read head, and a verify read-only head. The gate mechanism uses the second verify head to provide verification during the encoding process, thus reducing the process time.
The transport rollers of the exemplary embodiment can be assembled to accommodate different angles for the tickets to enter and exit the transport. A variety of holes for the bearings that support the transport rollers are provided at each end of the transport side plates. The most suitable set of holes are selected during assembly at the factory. To provide the opposite configuration for top or bottom magnetic stripes, the transport is inverted, and the rollers and belts are installed into alternate sets of bearing holes to accommodate the entry and exit path angles.
The UTT of the exemplary embodiment has a local processor circuit, or controller, attached to the transport assembly. The controller has a microprocessor, motor and sensor driver interfaces, and magnetic read and write head circuitry. The controller provides local control to operate the transport mechanisms, and communicates data through a serial interface to a host system. Interface connections for additional sensors located in entry/exit bezels or other host equipment are provided to the local controller via cables and connectors.
The drive motor of the exemplary embodiment is a DC motor gearbox assembly that has an integral shaft encoder. The motor drives the transport in a forward or a reverse direction. The motor is mounted on a sub plate that can be located in various areas of the transport. The shaft encoder provides the timing pulse for the magnetic encoding and ticket positional information. Connectors and cables electrically connect the motor and shaft encoder to the controller.
In an exemplary method of the present invention, the UTT is configured with write/read heads above a transport assembly for cards having a top stripe, and below a transport assembly for tickets having a bottom stripe. A patron inserts a ticket xe2x80x9cface-upxe2x80x9d into an entry bezel. A bezel entry sensor determines whether the ticket is valid and properly inserted. The accepted ticket continues into the transport passed a write entry sensor to initiate the read function of a read/write magnetic head. The ticket travels over the read/write head until completely read. The transport belt then reverses direction, and the ticket moves back over the read/write head. The transport belt then reverses to advance the ticket for encoding using the read/write head. The ticket is operated upon in a write-only capacity on the first magnetic read/write head. As the ticket moves forward over the verify head, the verify process is initiated simultaneously on the verify head. A verify exit sensor indicates that the ticket verify process is complete. The ticket moves out of the transport through the exit bezel to a point where the ticket is no longer in the belt pinch at position. A bezel exit sensor indicates that the ticket has exited the Universal Ticket Transport.